Automatic tank-valve.



Patnted Dec. I2, |899.

.1. T. MORRISON.

AUTUMATIG TANK VALVE.

(Application led Feb. 17, 1899.)

llaman STATES JOHN T. MORRISON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

AUTOMATIC TAN K-VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,740, dated Decemberl2, 1899.

Application led February 17, 1899. Serial No. 705,761. (No model.)

T all wwnt t may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN T. MORRISON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Tank- Talves; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention has for its object to provide an automatic tank-valve ofimproved construction, and it relates particularly to that type ofautomatic valve which is operated by' a float to control an intermittentow of water into a flushing-tank.

The invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of deviceshereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

The preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout theseveral views.

Figure l is a view principally in vertical transverse section, but withsome parts shown in full, illustrating my improved valve mechanismapplied to an ordinary iiushing-tank, some parts of said tank beingbroken away. Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. l, but illustratesdifferent positions of the parts; and Fig. 3 is a view, partly in sideelevation and partly in vertical section, on the line x3 ac3 of Fig. 2.

The numeral l indicates an ordinary iiushing-tank adapted normally tocontain a body of water e', the normal level of which is indicated inFig. l. My improved valve mechanism controls the supply of water to thistank, and in its preferred form the valve involves a faucet-like ortubular body, (indicated as an entirety by the character (1,) beingcomposed of two sections o. and a2 and an interposed thirnble-likevalve-seat co3. In this preferred construction the valve-seat d3 hasscrew-threaded ends which work in corresponding internal threads in theadjacentends of the sections d and a2, and it is here very important tonote that the said valveseat has valve engaging or seating surfaces a4at each end, thus adapting it to be reversed end for end for a purposeto be her'aftx` more thoroughly considered. The faucetsection d2 has ashoulder d5, which engages a packing ring or washer o6 to form awatertight joint with the bottom of the tank l, and the lower portion ofthis section d5 depends through the bottom of the tank l and is providedwith screw-threads, on which a nut a7 works to clamp the same in workingposition. The lower end of the section o2 is in comn1unication throughsuitable connections (not shown) with a water-main or other suitablesource of water-supply.

Rising from the upper portion of the section a is a yoke-like bracket orsupport l) b', the side as shown, being removably held in place by ascrew b2.

A valve-stem c is mounted to reciprocate vertically in a suitable seatformed in the upper portion of the faucet-section a', with its dependinglower end working axially through the valve-seat thimble a3 withoutengagement therewith. At its upper end and between the sides of thebracket b h the valve-stem cis formed with an eccentric-strap orflattened head c', in which a transversely-extended seat c2, havingparallel upper and lower edges, is cut or formed. The rear wall of saideccentric-seat is made straight, and thus serves as a stop for theeccentric to prevent undue turning thereof as the valve opens, as willbe clearly apparent from Fig. 2. At its lower end the valve-stem cisprovided with avalvehead or ball c3, which is preferably of rubber andwhich, as shown, is clamped between a shoulder cland a nut c5 on thesaid stern. It is very important to here note that in virtue of theabove construction the valve-head c3 is so disposed that it will beclosed by the pressure of the water flowingl or tending to flow into thetank.

Working within the seat c2 in the head or eccentric-strap of thevalve-stem is an eccentric f, which is rigid on a shaft or pin f',mounted in the sides of the bracket b b. This shaft f is provided with ahub or collar f2, that is adjustably secured thereto, as shown, by meansof a set-screw f3. t

Rigidly secured to and projecting from the hub or collar f2 is an arm g,the outer end of which is turned upward to form a stem-section g', theupper end of which is screw- `threaded and is provided with a nut g2.

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lVorking on the stem g', below the nut g2, is an air bulb or float g3,which is free to move up and down between the said nut g2 and the end ofthe arm g.

The operation of the valve mechanism above described is substantially asfollows: Normally the tank l is partially filled with water-for example,asillustrated in Fig. l-and under this condition the float g will beraised and will hold the valve-head cS in its closed position, tightlypressed against the coperating seating surface CL4 of the valve-seatthimble or section d3. In this closed position the pressure of the waterin the faucet-section ce2 will cooperate to hold the valve c3 in itsclosed position. Then the water is drawn 0H from the tank l, as by meansof a iiushingvalve, (not shown,) the fioat g3 will begin to lower as thelevel of the water lowers; but the valve-head c3 will be held closed bythe pressure of the water against it until the said fioat falls againstthe free end of the arm g, and then the said valve-head c3 will bequickly moved into its open position, as indicated in Fig. 2. As isobvious, when the valve-head c3 is in its open position water mayreadily iiow into the tank l through the faucet a and the tank will beagain charged with water. The initial upward movement of the fioat g3will move it on the stem g unt-il it is brought into engagement with thenut g2, and then the further upward movement of the oat will raise thearm g and move the valve-head c3 back into its closed position. Thus itwill be seen that the valve-head c3 is moved into its open positionbythe final portion of the floats downward movement and will be moved intoits closed position by the final portion of the said iioats upwardmovement. Furthermore, it is important to note that by adjusting the nutg2 on the screw-threaded stem g the valve may be set to close at anydesired altitude of the column of water z. The eccentric f always keepsengagement with the seat c2 in the head of the stem c, and thuspositively forces the valve c3 in both direc- -tions in which it movesit and at all times keeps the said valve-head from jumping or vibrating.B v adjusting the hub or collar f2 on a shaftf' the valve-head c3 may beset for any desired clearance with the cooperating surface a4 whenopened.

It is a well-known fact that the action of the water and the smallparticles of sand or dirt usually carried thereby in passing under highpressure between the open valve-head and its seat will in time cut andwear the cooperating surface of the valve-seat, thus in time oftenrendering the same useless. As one feature of my present invention,which feature has been already noted, I make the valve-seat orthimble-section a3 reversible end for end, and thereby double the lengthof the life of the same. However, with the arrangement whereby thevalve-head or valve proper closes with the pressure of the water whichpasses through the faucet or valve device, the valve being more quicklyand positively closed, less wear is put upon the valveseat than has beenthe case in prior constructions, wherein the valve is caused to closeagainst the pressure of the iniiowing water.

It will of course be understood that my invention above described iscapable of many modifications iu the details of its construction.

lVhat I claim, and desire to secure by'Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is as follows:

l. The combination with the tank, of an inlet-Valve casing provided withthe yoke-like guide-bracket, having one of its sides removable, thevalve in said casing having the strap on the protruding part of stepguided by the yoke-like bracket, a float in said tank provided with aneccentric working within the strap, said strap having a straight portionto form a stop for the eccentric.

2. The combination with the tank, of an inlet-valve casing extendedupward beyond the outlet-opening therefrom, a valve in said casing, andmeans to control said valve comprising a lever ghaving an upturned arm,a float freely sliding on the upturned arm of said lever, means on-saidarm to adjust the extent of upward travel of the float, and connectionsbetween the opposite end of the said anglelever and the valve.

3. The combination of a tank, of an inletvalve casing extended upwardbeyond the outlet-opening, a valve in said casing having a stemextending upward therefrom and formed with an eccentric-seat, one of thewalls of which acts as a stop to prevent undue turning of the eccentric,an arm secured to said eccentric and a float operative by the water inthe tank to move the eccentric.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN T. MORRISON.

Witnesses:

M. M. MCGRORY, F. D. MERcHANT.

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